This is the Mercedes GLS – one of the biggest passenger cars money can buy.
Gigantic and oozing opulence, it is Mercedes’ attempt to recreate the success of their luxury S-Class saloon, only in an SUV body.
Alternatives include the Range Rover and the Audi Q7, although it is a good bit bigger even than either of them. Really the similarly gargantuan BMW X7 is its only close rival.
At 5.2 metres long, more than two metres wide and over 1.8 metres tall it is very much a plus-size model. That can make it cumbersome on some of Scotland’s tighter country lanes.
However it also means serious levels of interior space – seven large adults can travel in complete comfort.
Anyone who wants budget motoring should look elsewhere. The GLS starts at a little over £75,000 and the fully loaded model I drove had a price tag north of £93,000.
That’s starting price is still £6,000 cheaper than the Range Rover Vogue, which is a smaller car, so perhaps it’s not such bad value after all.
Under the bonnet is a 3.0 litre V6 diesel developing 330hp and a huge 700Nm of torque, meaning it has oodles of pulling power. It hauls the GLS from 0-62 in just 6.3 seconds.
What all that means in practise is a car that offers a true magic carpet ride
If, for who-knows-what reason, you want any more power than that there’s a 4.0 litre, 612hp AMG version that does 0-62mph in 4.2 seconds.
The power is run through a nine-speed automatic gearbox which goes about its work seamlessly. There’s air suspension on all four corners.
The big Mercedes also uses a suite of cameras, sensors and algorithms to constantly adapt the suspension to the road conditions.
What all that means in practise is a car that offers a true magic carpet ride, wafting you along in complete luxury. It really is one of the most comfortable cars money can buy.
The cabin doesn’t let you down either. It’s a sea of soft leather, cossetting chairs and high quality buttons, dials and touchscreens.
Interior provides space and comfort
A large touchscreen anchors the infotainment system, and there’s a touch sensitive dial on the centre console. Using it takes a bit of practise but once you’ve got the hang of it it’s pretty easy.
Seats are heated and cooled. The climate control system includes fragrance options as well as filtration and ionisation. Rear passengers have use of a Samsung tablet that’s hidden in the centre armrest.
At night you can choose from 64 different ambient colours. Even after a week with the car I’m sure I only scratched the surface of its toys and tricks.
There are huge amounts of interior space in the front and middle row of seats. The rearmost seats fold up from the boot floor electronically.
Peerless refinement
While not quite a match for the middle row in terms of space they’re still among the most comfortable and practical sixth-and-seventh seats I’ve ever sat in.
With the third row folded flat the boot is a cavernous 890 litres.
I was all across Scotland in my Mercedes GLS. Refinement is virtually peerless, with only the Range Rover Vogue and perhaps the BMW X7 giving it a run for its money.
For the ultimate blend of refinement, practicality, luxury and capability on and off road the Mercedes GLS is very hard to beat
That vast size means it’s not particularly adept at hustling down country lanes but there is plenty of grip if you are in a hurry.
The GLS can handle itself off-road as well. My car came with an optional low-range transmission which will allow you to tackle some serious terrain.
Even without it you’d have to really be out in the wilds before you’d find something that would seriously challenge the GLS’s capabilities.
It can even wade through half a metre of water, giving it the ability to tackle streams and small rivers on a bad day.
It may be gigantic. It’s certainly not for those who don’t like to be noticed.
But for the ultimate blend of refinement, practicality, luxury and capability on and off road the Mercedes GLS is very hard to beat.
The Facts
Model: Mercedes GLS
Price: £93,601
0-62mph: 6.3 seconds
Top speed: 148mph
Economy: 30.7mpg
CO2 emissions: 234g/km